Private Eye/Cyclops 424 – Besmear drummer
Half-way through solving this I thought I was on for a record time – covering half the grid in a very few minutes. Then I slowed and then got interrupted by Real Life. … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1071 by Quixote – 22nd August 2010
Morning all. An impressive grid this week with no fewer than eight 15-letter answers. These long answers were mostly presented as anagrams, and unpicking them all took some time. Our pick of the … Read more >>
Azed 1995
I managed to solve about three-quarters of this puzzle without any assistance from Chambers or the internet. It’s surprising what being on holiday in remote places can do for the brain. However, I … Read more >>
Everyman 3334
Not my favourite one ever. Far too many anagrams (just under half of all the clues contained anagrams) and some obscure knowledge – I don’t think I have ever used the phrase at … Read more >>
Guardian 25,095 (Sat 21 Aug)/Araucaria – Any colour as long as it’s black and white
Solving time: 8 mins I found this the most enjoyable Araucaria I’ve done for a good while. The surface readings almost all made good sense and the cryptic indications were much more accurate … Read more >>
Independent 7441 by Scorpion (Saturday 21 August)
Solving time: About 38 minutes says my copy, but I think this includes an arbitrary penalty for running out of patience and looking up the posssibilities for 5D, which was a bit poor … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.928 – Leonard’s Puzzled by Rustic
A smaller grid this week – only 121 blank squares, instead of the normal 169. Will this translate into a shorter solving time? The preamble offers a slight cause for concern – if the quotation … Read more >>
Independent 7446/Phi
The usual excellent stuff from Phi. All the clues are neat (those that I can understand, anyway) and the whole thing is very satisfactory. Across 1 CA BAL{l} — or I suppose c a … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,475 / Bradman
It is befitting that we have a lovely Bradman puzzle to solve on Don Bradman‘s birthday. Many anagram clues today, some excellent ones like 27a and 17d. Across 1 DEVILS ADVOCATE (ADVISED LOVE … Read more >>
Guardian 25,100 – Orlando
Some clever clues but pretty easy overall from Orlando today. Across 1 RESIGNS S[hilling]=Bob inside REIGNS=rules 8 EVINCED ED[ward]=”little boy” carrying VINCE 9 SHAWNEE [George Bernard] SHAW=playwright + NÉE=”born in France” 10 RANKING … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,474 / Mudd
Please excuse the later than usual post; a plumbing emergency kiboshed my morning routine. But now that an 18A has been successfully issued and implemented on the pipe in question, I got to … Read more >>
Independent 7445 by Anax
My heart sank a bit when it was confirmed that it was Anax today after last Saturday’s offering. This is nowhere near that hard. There is a very strong Indian theme to this … Read more >>
Guardian 25,099 / Gordius
I’m afraid this a very rushed post for me today, and I haven’t figured out how 10a and 11a work – I’m sure the comments will clear those up, though… Across 8. FORMALLY … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,465 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 16 August 2010 Once again, Mr Smoothie is back to entertain us with his slick surfaces and glib clues. ACROSS 1 DIRECT dd 4 SCORED dd 8 ANIMATE *(a … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,464 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of August 14 A fine Cincinnus this time with great anagrams in 24A (SVENGALI) and 5D (NOW THERE’S A THING), a dazzling cryptic definition in 13D (GOOD … Read more >>